The items described above are generally known.
The main rolling stands are generally four-high or six-high stands. This is also the principal configuration within the scope of the present invention. However, other configurations are also possible. The only exclusion applies to purely two-high stands, which have no rolls other than the work rolls.
WO 99/51368 A1 discloses a Steckel rolling mill, which has two rolling stands, upstream of which there is a coiling furnace and downstream of which there is a further coiling furnace. Each of the rolling stands is formed as a four-high stand. To set the temperature of the coiled strip, the strip is re-coiled with as little pass reduction as possible—as far as possible with a pass reduction of zero.
DE 42 43 045 A1 discloses the setting of a controlled strip tension between the rolling stands of a rolling train themselves and between the rolling stands and the coilers.
When rolling strips together with subsequent coiling, in some cases it is intended for the tension upstream of the coiler to be as low as possible, since otherwise there is the risk of the individual layers of the coiled-up coil sticking to one another. Upstream and downstream of the last rolling stand in which the strip is rolled (i.e. reduced in thickness), on the other hand, the strip is intended to have a tension for reasons concerning technical aspects of rolling.
Various measures are known in the prior art for isolating the tension in the strip upstream of the coiler and the tension in the strip downstream of the last main rolling stand in which the strip is rolled.
One known measure, for example, comprises providing a tension bridle between the last main rolling stand in which the strip is rolled and the coiler. A further known measure, for example, comprises providing a driver instead of the tension bridle. In individual instances, the driver may also be formed as a two-high stand, the strip not being rolled but only driven in the two-high stand.
The aforementioned known measures can be realized very easily if a rolling train is being newly constructed. In the case of existing rolling trains, on the other hand,—in particular for reasons of space—the measures can only be realized with difficulty, by undertaking major conversion work (including the associated costs) or not at all.